Electrical-impulse-counting switch.



PATENTED APR. 23, 1907.

' H. J. ROBERTS. ELECTRICAL IMPULSE COUNTING SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4. 1905.

2 SHEETk-BHBET 1.

PATENTED APR. 23, 1907.

. H. J. ROBERTS.

ELECTRICAL IMPULSE COUNTING SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

'jfi ffizessesf i WW UNITED STATES PATENT oniiuon HOMER J. ROBERTS, OF EVANSTON, ILLINOIS.

ELECTRlCAL-llVlPULSE-COUNTING SWlTCi-ll.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 23, 1907.

Application filed November 4, 1905. Serial No. 285.829.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOMER J. RoBnRrs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Evanston, in the county of Cook and State of "whereby any given number of impulses with in the range of'the capacity of. the instrument ma be thrown upon a circuit connected with the switch and the sending of further impulses automatically interrupted at the end of the predetermined series; to

provide in a switch of the character referred to means for utilizing pulsating current derived from a suitable source, the switch mechanism being so organized as to prevent the sending to line of fragmentary parts of impulseswhich would destroy or tend to de- 'stroy reliability'of selection; to provide in a switch of the general character-referred to means for utilizing unidirectional pulsating current and automatically reversing the connections with the source of current at a prewhere y current im ulses of alternately-op. posite polarity may e utilized, the impulses determined time in'such manner as to send to line a definite number of impulses of one polarity and succeeding im ulses of different polarity; to provide insuc 1 a switch mechanism electricalcontrolling mechanism which governs the jmovement of rotation of the switch and insures a mechanical stepping forward of the switch in synchronism with the electrical pulsations passing therethrou h; to provide in such a switch means of one polarity being sent direct to line with out passing through the controlling-magnet of the instrumentand the impulses of opposite polarity being passed through the magnet of the instrument and serving to actuate the instrument; to provide in such an instrument'improved means for quickly and accu-' rately setting the switch to count out the desired number of impulses; to provide in conjunction with such a switch and a'suitable source-of pulsating current an improved system of circuit connect ons and accessories Y whereby the switch may be conveniently connected with any one of a plurality of subscribers telephone lines; to provide improvements of the details in construe tion and arrangement contributing to the efficiency, accuracy, and reliability of th'e'instrument',

and, in general, to provide an improved system of the character referred to. To. the above ends the invention consists in the matters herelnafter described, and

more particularly pointed out in the apfront end face view or elevation of the instrumerit, a fragment of the dial being broken out to show one feature of adpistment. Fig. 4 1s a transverse vertical sectional view taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direc- Fig. 5 1s a view similar tion of the arrows.- to Fig. 4, taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows. Figs.6 and 7 are sectional details of the set of contact-springs and the hub of the instrument which they engage, Fig. 6 being an ei'ilarged detail taken on line 66 of Fig. 7. Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view showing asuitable system.of electrical connections for the instrument. I

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates as a whole a suitablebase-plate, across and near one endof which is secured the heelpiece or yoke 3 of a polarized magnet, (designated as a whole 2.) This magnet comprises the usual pair of spools 4, a yoke 5, connecting the pole-pieces 6 of the magnet and provided With-upstanding pivot-ears 7, an armature 8, pivoted between said ears, and a biasing bar or permanent magnet 9, which is connected with the heel-piece of the magnet at its lower end and at its upper end overhangs the central portlon of the armature 8, all as usual.

Upon the end of the base-plate is arranged a transversely-disposed upstandingsupporting plate or standard 10, which is apertured to provide a journal for the rear end of a main shaft 11 of the instrument, arranged to extend thercthrough at a point between the two magnet-spools and about mid- IIO way of the height of the latter. U on the end of the main shaft which protru es through the standard is keyed an escapementwheel, (designated as awhole 12,) said escapement-wheel having a relatively large hub 13,

which is provided at diametrically opposite points with conical wiper-recesses 1-4 and 14. These recesses -while diametrically disposed are nevertheless longitudinally. off set relatively to each other, so that the wiper which cooperates with one recess will not engage the other.

Upon the standard 10 is secured a horizontally-disposed supporting-block 15, and upon opposite sides of this block and respectively insulated therefrom and from each other are secured two sets of springcontacts, as 16,17, 18 and 19 and 20, re-

' spectively. The spring-contacts 16 and 19 constitute switch-springs and carry at their free ends Wipers, as 22 and 23, the latter being insulated from its spring, as indicated at 25. In the normal or zero position of the instrument the two wipers rest within the 15 and the respective sets of eontact springs,"

recesses of the escapement-Wheel hub, and the switch-springs 16 and 19, respectively, engage the inner contact-springs 18 and 2].. Whenever the escapement-wheel is turned away from the zero position, the wipers ride out of the recessesandupon the periphery of the hub, thereby shifting the contacts -be tween the switch-springs and inner springsto the outer springs. These movements of the switch-springs serve to reverse the polarity of the cireuit connections to line, as will hereinafter appear. Stop-studs 26 and 27, interposed between the supporting-block serveto keep; the latter properly spaced, as shown clearly in detail, Fig. 6.

With the teeth of the escapement-wheel is arranged to cooperate a pallet 28, rigidly mounted upon the armature 8 ofthe-magnet and carrying escapement-stui'ls 29 and 30,

which alternately engage the teeth of the escapement-wheel in a familiar manner. At one point 12 several teeth are omitted from the eriphery of the eseapement-wheel, these teet being omitted at an angular position which registers with the escapem nt-stud' 30 when the wheel is in zero position. The object is to release the escapement-wheel on the last counted-out impulse and let it turn To eflect its return, the main shaft is provided with a fixed collar 33 and loose collar which is loosely journaled on the shaft adja- -board.

34, with each of which are connected the respective ends of a coiled spring 35. The collar 34 is held against rotation'with the shaft by means of an arm 36, connected therewith (see Fig. 5) and extending downwardly and normally engaging a stud 37 on the baseplate, this arm forming a convenient hanger,

whereby the spring may be wound up or permitted to unwind to adjust the tension of the spring.

The manipulation of the escapementwheel is accomplished through the medium of a setting-dial 38, rigidly mounted upon the forward end of the main shaft, and a set'- 1 ting-arm 39 provided with'a thumb-nut 40,

terposed between the arm and dial; but

when the spring is compressed the stud of the arm can be passed through any given one of the apertures 42 and protruded beyond the rear face of the dial far enough to engage a stop-stud 44, mounted upon a suitable support, usually upon the face of the switch- In the preferred construction the stud 44 is carried by an arm 45, one end of whiehis journale'd upon the main sh aft of the instrument and the opposite end of which is slotted and secured by a screw 46 to the switchboard, this construction enabling the stud 44 to be'adjusted circumferentially of the dial.

' As will hereafter appear, the instrument being described is intended for use in con- ICC junction with a suitable mechanism for con- I stantly sending out pulsating current, and inasmuch as reliability of selection depends upon avoiding the sending to dine of any fragmentary parts of impulses one of the most important features .of the present invention resides in the provision of means whereby incomplete impulses are kept from going 'tothe externalcircuit and full impulses only sent to line. In the preferred embodiment illustrated this is accomplished by the provision of means which insures that an initial impulse, or it maybe part of' an impulse, is first sent through the instrument and imparts an initial movement to the latter, and this initial movement of the instrument results in closing the external circuit, so that thereafter full impulses are counted out. Obviouslysuch initial impulse or fragment: of impuse is not considered as part of the count. Describing the mechanism for this purpose, and referring more particularly to Figs. 1 and 4, 47 designates a split sleeve,

' (consisting, as shown, of two half-sleeves 47 and 47",) which are mounted upon the main shaft at a point intermediate the length of the latter and engage the latter frictionally.

} In order to hold these half-sleeves-inlight ,point adjacent to the sleeve-sections, and

upon the journal portion of this bearings standard is adjustably secured a collar 52, rovided with a set-screw 53, whereby it is eld rigid with the hearing. The collar 52 carries an arm 54-,from which extends a stopfinger 55, which projects into the path of the contact-arm 50, the arrangement being such that when the main shaft is turned manually the sleeve-sections and. contact-arm carried thereby move with the shaft a slight distance until the contact-arm, engages the stop-finger 55. and thus arrestsit. This circumferential movement of the contact-arm is less angularly than the distance between the ratchet-teeth of the ratchet-wheel 12. Adjacent to the sleeve-sections and in register with the contact-arm 50 is arranged a second 7 standard 56, insulated from the base-plate,

as indicated at 57, and carrying a spring contact-strip 58, which tends to spring outwardly toward the contact-arm and is limited in its outward movementby. an adjustingscrew 59. The stop-finger is so adjusted that it will arrest the contact-arm just after the latter has been moved out of electrical contact with the strip 58, but nevertheless far enough away from the latter so that when the ratchet-wheel engages the escapement under the return pressure of its sprlng the arm50 and strip 58 will rest out of con tact. Obviously the first return step of the main shaft will carry the arm 50 into enga ement with the strip58, and this closes t e external circuit, as will hereinafter appear. It may be'here noted that the actuationof the esca er'nent is accomplished'by a local circuit q a polarity opposite that of the external circuit, and the impulses of which are alternated with those whichare sent to the external circuit, from which. it'follows that no portion of an impulse will be'sent to line by the closing'otthe circuit between arm 50 and contact +strip 58 before the impulse which effects-such closing dies away.

The construction of the mechanical tea? tures of the instrument havin now been described, a sim le circuit suita le for the instruinent will e readilyunderstood.

' Referring to diagrammatic Fig. 8, A designates as a whole diagrammatically the .instrument just described, B a suitable source of pulsating current, which may be a polechanger, and C and D cord-keys with their connected pairs of cords and circuit connec tions. -E E represent diagrammatically switchboard spring-jacks. The keys C and D, it will be understood, are each susceptible of being shifted in two directions to close the circuit as to the respective ends of the pairs of cords, as usual. The parts shown diagrammatically, which correspond to the parts of the instrument just described, aredesig- ,nated by the same numerals.

Assuming that the plug 0 or dha's been inserted in one of the spring-jacks and select- ;ive impulses are to be sent to line, the operator first sets the dial at the pro er numeral by rotating the arm 39, (not s own in the diagram,) inserting it in the aperture 42 of the desired numeral, and thereafter rotating dial and arm together until'arrested by the engagement of the pin 41 with the st p-stud 44. In the initial movement of the dial the circuit between contact-arm 50 and contactstri 58 is open. .The c0rd-key being now shi ted in the properdirection, the pulsating current which actuates the escapement may be traced as follows, it being noted that the rotary movement of the hub 13 of the ratchetwheel shifts switch-springs 16 and 19 into contact with back'springs 17 and 20, re-

spectively, and opens the contact between switch-springs 16 and forward spring 18. I

Starting at brush b of the, generator, the

circuit extends to springs 19. 20, thence to and through the coils of the actuating-magnet 2, thence to a bus-line 59, with which each of the cords is connected by means of conductors 60. Springs 61, 62, and 63 being conductor over line 64 to springs 63 and 62 and from thence back to the return busline 59 over conductors 65 and 66. From bus-line 59 a conductor 67 leads back to the constantly closed pole of the generator.

This circuit energizes-the magnet2 in the proper direction to retract the 'esca ementtooth 29, whereupon the ratchet-w eel returns one step, thus closing the circuit between contacts 50 and '58 The pole-changer in its further rotation or :movement now closes circuit through its brush or contact device 7), which has theretoforebeen in engagement with the insulated part b of thep0 echanger, thus closing the external cirat this time in contact, the circuit is from ,cuit, which may be traced as follows 5. from brush 1) to s rings 17 and 16, thence to' contacts 50 an 58, and thence to a bus-line 68, connected with each of the cord circuits the cord-key are at this time closed, s'prin 7 0 being connected by a conductor 72 wit by conductors 69. Springs 70 and 71. of

-co'nductor69 and spring 71 with the :tip side i I of theplug. .From the tip of theplug'themrgo:

circuit extends out over'one side of'the tele phone-line, back over the other to the sleeve side, and thence through springs 61 and 62,

conductors 65 and 66 to the common return and 19, entering the recesses of the hub 13,

will simultaneously cross the connections of the external circuit and open the local circuit so as to prevent further pulsations from going through the magnet.

The useand operation of the mechanism has been, fully set forth in connection with the foregoing description and need not, therefore, be repeated. It is to be observed, however, that the instrument is perfectly adapted for use in conjunction with any constantly-running sourceof pulsating current, such as a dynamo or pole-changer, and bat- 2 5 tery, or it may be connected in with an ordinary hand-operated magneto having its connections arranged to correspond to those of j the generator shown diagrammatically in a Fig. 8. It willbe noted that with the cir- 5o cuits connected as described the full strength of the current is sent over the external line, thus enablin operated witli 5 circuit is not opened by the counting, instrument between impulses after it has been initially closed, so that imperfect selections due to failure of make-and-break con-' tacts are practically avoided. The fact that 40 the escapement is operated by thoseimpulses which occur in alternation to the impulses sent to line ermits an extremely speedy operation of t e instrument, because I t impulses, since otherwise a false impulsemight be sent to line. In this connection it may be noted that the interruption of the teeth of the ratchet-wheel at the angular point which corresponds with the zero position of the wheel insures that the-wheel shall step forward during its last step to zero amply far enough to bring the wipers 2 2 and 23 nto full engagement with the, recesses of the ratchet-wheel hub, and thus insures a certain reversal of the circuit. As ordinarily for sending electrical pulsations through said the selective apparatus to be great certainty and reliability. I It is further 'to'be noted that the external employed, this instrument "is so connected the movement of said ratchet member, means counting device, and means actuated by the controlling device for closing a working circuit after the initial actuation of'the instru ment whereby the sending .of fragmentary impulses over said working circuit is avoided.

'2. An" automatic impulse-counter, comprising a ratchet member having: teeth correspondlng to a progressively-regular series of numerals means for setting said. ratchetwhe'el initially in position corresponding to any desired one of said numerals, electromagnet mechanism for controlling said ratchet memb er, circuit connections for said electromagnet mechanism, a working circuit, contact devices controlling said working circuit and actuated by said electromagnet mechanism, and means for sending current pulsations over each ofsaid. circuits.

3. An automatic. 1m ulsecounter, comprising an autoniatica y-returned ratchet Ioq.

member, electromagnet mechanism for con trolling said ratchet member, circuit connections for said electromagnet mechanism, a working circuit,-contact devices. controlling said working circuit and actuated by said electromagnet mechanism, means for manually setting said ratchet member at any predetermined number of steps from zero, and means for sending 'current pulsations over each of said circuits.

4. An automatic impulse-counter, comprisinga spring returned ratchet-wheel, an escape'ment controlling said ratchet-wheel, a magnetfor actuating said escapement, circuit connections for said magnet, a' working circuit, and means 'for sending ulsations of opposite polarity alternately t rough said magnet and over said working circuit.

5. An automatic impulse-counter, coniprising a spring-returned ratchet-wheel, an

escapement controlling said-ratchet-wheel, a magnet for actuating said escapement, C11- cuit' connections for said magnet, a working circuit, contact devices controlling said working circuit and. controlled by saidmagnet, and. means for sending current impulses alternately through said magnet and over said working'circuit, those pulsations which were and operating to a line-circuit; andmeans matically to arrest the sending of impulsesof to line at the end ofa preset] sent through the magnet being of "opposite polarity from those which weresent over the working circuit. 6. In combination with an independentlyrunning source of recurrent electrical pulsations, a counting mechanism controlled'by and operating in synchronism with said pulsations, and itself controlling operating autolike character count.

7. In combination with an independentlyrunning source of recurrent electrical pulsationsfacounting mechanism controlled by in synchronism with said pulsations, and itself controlling pulsations sent over a line-circuit, means operating automatically to arrest thesending of impulses of like character to line at the end of a preset count, and means operating automatically to place the line-circuit initially in effective condition during an interval between these pulsations which are sent to line, whereby fragmentary portions of full pulsations are prevented from being sent over the line-circuit.

8.- In combination with an independentlyrun'ning source of alternating electrical pulsations', acounting mechanism controlled by. and-operating in synchronism with the pulsations of one polarity, means controlled by said counting mechanism andoperating to send over a line-circuit pulsations of opposite polarity, and means operating automatically .to arrest the sending of impulses of like char-- acter to line at the endof a preset count.

9. .In combination with an independentlyrunning source of recurrent electrical pulsations, a counting mechanism controlled by and operating in synchronism with said pul sations, means controlled by said counting mechanism-for sending pulsations to a linecircuit, and means operating automatically to reverse the pole connections of said linecircuit at the end of a preset count;

10-. In combination with a source of current generation, pole-changing mechanism, I connected ClICllltS COIllPlslSlll positive and negative contact devices and a conductor connected with each, a common-return con.- ductor constantly connected with the source of generation and also connected with said positive and negative conductors, a counting mechanism controlled by and operating in.'

synchronism with the pulsations sent over one of said circuits, and means controlled. by

" said counting mechanism operating autoconnected. circuits comprising matically to arrest the sending of impulses of "npposite polarityover the other circuit at the end of a preset count. v

1 1. III OOIIIbIII-QIJOII with a source of cur-- rent generation, pole-changing mechanism,

negativecontact devices an a conductor connected With each, a common-return. conpulsations sent positive and 'ductoriconstantlyl connected with the source.

of generation and.,.a lso connected with said' positive and negativeconductors, a counting mechanism controlled by and operating in synchronism with the pulsations sent over one of said circuits, and means controlled by said counting mechanism operating automatically to arrest the sending of impulses of opposite polarity over the other circuit at the end of a preset count and to effect the sending of a series of impulses of opposite polarity over said latter circuit.

12. In combination with an independently running source of recurrent electrical pulsa' tions, a counting mechanism controlled by and operating in synchronism with said pulsations, means for manuallysetting the counter member of said counting mechanism and .means for closing a circuit subsequent to the initial movement of said counter member com- With said counter and frictionally driven by part rotating with the ratchet-wheel, a relatively stationary cooperating contact device, and a stop for limiting the arc of movement of the frictionally-driven contact device.

' 14. A counting mechanism comprising a main shaft, aratchet-wheel mounted thereon,

a spring tending to normally return said ratchet-wheel to a definite position, an electrically-actua-ted escapement mechanism controlling the return of the ratchet under the action of said spring, and means for manually advancing the ratchet-wheel""in.,a predetermined number of steps.

15. A counting mechanism comprising a main shaft, a ratchet-wheel mounted thereon, a spring tending to normally return said ratchet-wheel to a definite position, an electric ally-actuated escapement mechanism controlling the return of the ratchet under the action of said spring, and means Iio 1 2o for manually advancing the ratchet-wheel in a predetermined number of steps comprising a dial' rigid upon the main shaft, an arm adapted to v -be engagedwith said dial at points correspending to the angular positions of the several ratchet-teeth, and a stop arranged to arrest the movement of the interengaged arm and dial at a definite angular position.

16. An electrical impulse-counting mcchs prising a contact device-mounted to move anism comprising a spring-actuated main shaft, a ratchet-wheel mounted thereon, an escapement mounted to cooperate Withsaid ratchet-Wheel, a magnet arranged to operate ,said escapement, a dial mounted upon said main shaft and provided With recesses or apertures corresponding to the several angular positions of the ratchet-teeth, a setting-arm 'loosely journaled concentric with the dial and provided with a finger adapted to engage the recesses or apertures of the dial, anda- I stop mounted in position to engage and arrest the oscillatory movement of the arm when the latter is interengaged with the dial.

17. An electrical impulse-counting mech anism comprising a spring-actuated main shaft, a ratchet-Wheel mounted thereon,'aneseapement mounted to cooperate W1tl1sa1d ratchet-wheel, a magnet arranged to operate said escapement, a dial mounted upon said main shaft and provided With recesses or apertures corresponding to the several angular positions of the ratchet-teeth, a setting-arm loosely journaled concentric With-the dial and provided With a finger adapted to engage the recessesor apertures of the dial, a spring arranged to normally hold the arm retracted from the dial, and a stop mounted in position to engage and arrest the oscillatory movement of the arm when the latter is interengaged with the dial.

18. An electrical impulse-counting mech- I anism comprising a main shaft, a ratchet- Wheel mounted thereon, an escapement mechanism controlling the ratchet-Wheel, a magnet arranged to operate saidescapement 'mechanism, a cam rotating with the ratchetwheel, a wiper arranged to cooperate with said cam and contact devices controlled by said Wiper. v

19. An velectrical impulse-counting mechanism'comprising a main shaft, a ratchetwheel mounted thereon, an escapement mechanism controlling the ratchet-wheel, a

magnet arranged to operate said escapement mechanism, a circular cam mounted to rotate with said ratchet-Wheel and provided with a.

peripheral recess, a switch-spring wiper cooperating with said cam, and front and back contacts with which said switch-spring cooperates.

20. An electrical impulse-counting-mechanism comprising a main shaft, a ratchet- Wheel mounted thereon, an escapement mechanism'controlling the ratchet-Wheel, a 4 magnet arranged to operate said escapement CHAS. A. BOTTORFF. 

